The on-again/off-again East Campus project that was stalled after the original developer pulled out is heating up again. The Diamondback reported on Thursday that plans for phase I of the East Campus project are being released. The City Council recently voted gave the approval for $3.3 million in state funds to be released to the University to clear off the old facilities on the site.

The first part of the plan is to include a hotel with ample conference space, grad housing and almost 60,000 square feet of retail. Stay tuned for upcoming public forums to discuss the types of retail should inhabit this new location. We seem to remember already having a series of public forums on this very topic.

What a mediocre and disappointing plan, starting with the huge amounts of surface parking which kills off any chance of an active and interesting public realm. University President Wallace Loh says he wants College Park to become “a top 20 college town” but we are certainly not going to get there with this level of banal, lifestyle-center type of planning.